Gov. Scott: Jacksonville Added 23,200 Jobs Over the Year

Today, Governor Rick Scott announced the Jacksonville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) gained 23,200 new jobs over the year in December 2014. The Jacksonville MSA’s unemployment rate declined by 0.5 percentage point over the year, from 5.6 percent in December 2013 to 5.1 percent in December 2014. Florida businesses have added 728,500 private-sector jobs since December 2010.

Governor Scott said, “Jacksonville businesses have created 23,200 new jobs over the year, which means that many more Floridians in Jacksonville are now able to provide for their families. More than 728,000 new jobs have been created over the last four years in our state, and Florida’s growing economy is continuing to be a model of success for the nation to follow. Every one of these new jobs is an opportunity to transform a family and we will keep growing jobs our mission for the next four years.”

The industries with the largest job gains over the year were professional and business services with 6,700 new jobs and leisure and hospitality with 5,000 new jobs. In December 2014, the Jacksonville MSA was among the top two metro areas in Florida for gains over the year in leisure and hospitality. In December 2014, the Jacksonville MSA had 17,341 online job openings and had 4,269 online openings for high wage, high skill science technology engineering math (STEM) jobs.

Florida created 11,500 private-sector jobs in December 2014. Florida’s annual job growth rate has exceeded the nation’s rate since April 2012. Florida’s statewide unemployment rate for December 2014 was 5.6 percent, down 0.7 percentage point from the December 2013 rate.